Missing a Kayak? Vessel Adrift Sparks Search in Narragansett Bay

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—A kayak adrift off the coast of North Kingstown spawned a search effort by the U.S. Coast Guard and six units from the Narragansett Bay Marine Task Force on Thursday. Crews ultimately suspended the search "due to a lack of information."

A good Samaritan saw the yellow kayak with black seat floating in the water at around 9 a.m. and contacted the Coast Guard with a VHF radio.

A 45-foot response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Castle Hill in Newport was launched to search the area, covering Quonset Point to the Jamestown Bridge as they looked for a possible person in the water.

There was no contact information aboard the kayak.

"When there is a boat on the water with no person aboard, the Coast Guard will always search as if someone is in distress," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Cody Seevers, an operations specialist in Sector Southeastern New England's command center. "The Coast Guard recommends using ‘If Found’ stickers, or even a sharpie, to write a name and good contact number on all paddle craft. This allows the Coast Guard to locate an owner and determine whether a person is in real trouble or if their gear is simply adrift."

The Coast Guard is requesting anyone with information about the yellow kayak's owner to please call Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England at 508-457-3211.